CSU women’s soccer announces details on new permanent home facility

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – For the first time since the Colorado State women’s soccer team was established in 2013, the Rams will have a permanent home facility for their home matches. Head coach Bill Hempen announced details on the new facility on Monday.

The program’s very first home was at the Fort Collins Soccer Complex off of I-25, where the Rams played each of their 2013 home matches until a snow storm moved their Oct. 18, 2013 contest on campus. That move gave the program a glimpse of the potential for hosting soccer on campus, and for the next three seasons, fans gathered at The Lagoon, which was located just west of the Lory Student Center on the campus of Colorado State University. Starting with the upcoming 2017 season, the Rams will compete in a facility that replaces the previous football practice facility on Elizabeth Street by Moby Arena.

“Our soccer program will now benefit greatly with a space we can call home,” Hempen said. “We couldn’t be more excited to have it. When the program began in 2013, we knew then that a lot of what our future was going to look like hinged on the possibility of a new on-campus football stadium. Once it was clear the much-needed stadium was going to become a reality, our day would rightfully have to wait. Our new facilities and so many people – obviously the football program, our new alumni center and the classrooms on the east side of the stadium as well – will only enhance what we all know is a wonderful and engaging university.”

The name of the new soccer facility is yet to be determined. CSU will compete on the natural grass surface within the facility, which is anticipated to be ready for the Rams’ home opener vs. Colorado on Aug. 18. The natural grass surface is currently in the late stages of being transformed from two football fields to one soccer pitch. The additional turf surface within the facility will remain for various uses, as will the fence around the perimeter of the facility.

The process for preparing the new facility began immediately following the conclusion of the spring football season. The first piece of the process was the removal of one row of the facility’s lights surrounding the natural grass playing surface, which would have previously prevented the playing surface from expanding to the regulation size for collegiate soccer.

Improving the playing surface itself was another major step in the process of transforming the facility into a home for CSU women’s soccer. Following the removal of the one row of the facility’s lights, approximately 2,000 pounds of grass seed were transported in and spread evenly across what will become the pitch. This process – generally referred to as “topdressing” – improves the thickness and leveling of the natural grass surface over time, and allows for better drainage in adverse weather conditions.

Fans attending a CSU home match can expect seating and set-up similar to game days at The Lagoon, and are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets or other similar items to use for seating at a match.

See below for a full listing of the Rams’ 2017 schedule. CSU’s first home match of the 2017 season is set for Friday, Aug. 18, as the Rams host in-state rival Colorado at 5 p.m. MT.